


Have been for the past year but thanks for noticing

by allislaughter



Series: Fluffy February 2021 [8]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Flirting, Fluff, Fluffy February 2021, M/M, POV Third Person, Present Tense, or as fluffy as it can be with nick and an eldritch being anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:47:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29290098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allislaughter/pseuds/allislaughter
Summary: Nick's stuck in a cave during a storm with a busted leg and a certain Mysterious Stranger sitting there with him.
Relationships: Mysterious Stranger/Nick Valentine
Series: Fluffy February 2021 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138028
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	Have been for the past year but thanks for noticing

**Author's Note:**

> My fill for day 8 of [Fluffy February](https://fluffyfebruary.tumblr.com/). Today's prompt: Hiding from a storm.

The tension between them sits thick like the torrent of rain outside preventing either of them from leaving their shared hiding space. Nick sits and glares at the Stranger, having given up trying to get answers from the silent man who merely sits with his gun in his lap— just another silent threat between the two of them.

High-strung and trying to swallow his nervousness, Nick craves a cigarette, but he daren’t take his eyes off the Stranger’s face, especially now with them trapped together by the weather he finally gets the chance to study it. Nick would feel more grateful for the Stranger’s typical disappearing act being a non-issue if not for the fact he can’t do anything now that he  _ does _ have the Stranger so  _ close. _

Not with his leg busted and Sole too far away with their only repair kit to brave the rain and find him.

_ You are aware, _ the Stranger finally says, his voice oddly having no sign of an echo in their cave shelter,  _ I’m not the one stuck here and I could leave whenever I desire. _

“Finally talking, huh?” Nick scowls. “Alright, I’ll bite. Why are you staying, then?”

_ It wouldn’t be sporting. _ He motions at Nick’s leg.  _ Not with you injured. _

“You mean you’re only staying because I can’t chase after you?” Nick scoffs. “If you’re in this for the chase, I’d suggest getting better hobbies.”

A moment of silence, and then the Stranger smiles and chuckles.  _ No, no... I’m less concerned with you chasing me. It’d be unsporting to leave you unguarded when you can’t defend yourself. _

“You want to come over here and say that?” Nick asks, lifting his fists. “I’ll show you I can still defend myself, leg or no leg.”

The Stranger frowns at that.  _ You are an unusual one. Do you show this much vitriol to everyone who offers you aid? _

“When that someone is a  _ serial killer, _ yes.”

_ You act as if your own hands are free of blood. _

“I kill to defend the innocent.”

_ I kill to defend the significant. _

Nick takes pause at that. “...Significance sounds subjective.”

_ So is innocence, _ the Stranger counters.  _ You might find that our definitions overlap in certain individuals... Your soul, for one. _

“Sole?” Nick asks. “What do you do to defend them?”

The Stranger holds up his gun as if the answer is obvious.

Nick pauses and then scowls. “Well— Okay, so you’ve gotten us out of sticky situations in the past— But who else do you define as ‘significant’?”

_ There are many. Were many. Will be many. _ Stranger sets the gun back down in his lap.  _ Those who decide to invest in the chaos of luck. Those who take to the wastelands on an important quest and leaving their mark as they go. _

Nick frowns. “That so? Then why are you here ‘guarding’ me,” he asks with air quotes, “instead of out there helping Sole?”

_ You’re cute. You amuse me. _

“Hey,” Nick growls. “Don’t patronize me.”

The Stranger’s lips twitch into a sly smile.  _ No, of course not. Not unless you ask for that. _

“What’s the  _ real _ reason you’re here?” Nick demands. “What are you getting out of this? Is this some sick game of yours? Just to taunt me and then kill me as soon as I let down my guard?”

_ You could never let me down, _ the Stranger counters.  _ I know to expect your hubris and the willful ignorance that comes from your low self-esteem. _

“...Well.” Nick crosses his arms and slumps against the wall. “That’s just dirty and under-handed.”

_ There really is no winning you over, _ the Stranger says, still amused by this.  _ Compliments don’t stick and insults offend you. You truly are a challenge, Detective. _

“What are you  _ talking _ about?” Nick asks. “Winning me over? You’re not going to get me to excuse your crimes by buttering me up.”

_ Mm. No. I’m aware of that. _

“Then what is it?” Nick snorts. “Goodness, if I didn’t know better, I might think you’re trying to  _ flirt _ with me.”

The Stranger goes silent again. The tension returns, and Nick sits on edge and hoping for the rain to stop soon if this is going to continue...

_ Well, _ the Stranger says at last.  _ I suppose this means you don’t know better. _

Nick blinks. Stares. His eyes widen and he feels himself heating up. “You— You’re  _ not _ flirting. You  _ can’t _ be flirting—”

_ I have been for some time now, _ the Stranger answers.  _ I’m not surprised you didn’t notice. _

“No!”

_ Yes. _

“You’re pulling my leg!”

_ I wouldn’t damage it more than it already is. _

Nick opens his mouth to say another retort. He closes it. He dares to take off his hat to hide his face in it.

Of all the outcomes of this meeting...

This is by far the least expected.

_ Detective. _

Nick peeks past his hat brim.  _ “What.” _

The Stranger motions to the entrance.  _ The rain is letting up. You’ll be getting help soon. If you’d like to continue this, on more intimate terms... _

_ “God—” _

_ Then call me by name. Farmer. _

“...Farmer.” Not quite the name Nick would expect from the Stranger, and yet... Nick blinks and then jumps at the sight of the Stranger— Farmer suddenly beside him. “Goodness—”

Farmer leans over and takes hold of his hand to kiss it.  _ Till next time. _

“Wait—” Another blink, and Nick is alone in the cave. The rain fades away, and Sole soon appears at the entrance calling for him. “In here!” he calls back.

He had to have been dreaming up that entire encounter. There’s no way that the Mysterious Stranger has been trying to  _ flirt _ with him.

...Still. It won’t hurt to wait until he has a bit of alone time and ask for a “Farmer” to join him...


End file.
